New RAN fracking policy

Rainforest Action Network supports a ban (1) on hydraulic fracturing (2) for oil and gas. The best available research indicates that a ban on fracking, along with other measures to keep fossil fuels in the ground, is necessary to keep climate change at or below 2C degrees of warming. RAN is committed to working toward a 2C target, as a matter of necessity and of justice. In addition to the climate imperative, RAN supports a ban on fracking given the very strong preliminary research on fracking’s acute public health and environmental impacts, and the lack of long-term research available. Lastly, RAN supports a ban on fracking on the principle of community rights. Across the globe, people have taken on a multi-billion dollar industry to stop the encroachment of fracking into their communities. RAN stands in solidarity with communities everywhere fighting fracking.

1. RAN supports, in any area where fracking is under consideration, legislative or regulatory frameworks that prohibit or otherwise disallow hydraulic fracturing and associated practices. In the absence of legislative or regulatory policies to prohibit fracking, we oppose the financing of: companies primarily involved in hydraulic fracturing, the leasing of land rights for fracking, or the construction of infrastructure to facilitate fracking.

2. We use the terms “hydraulic fracturing” and "fracking" to refer to a host of practices that occur during the full lifecycle process of exploring for and extracting unconventional oil and gas, delivering unconventional oil and gas to market, and disposing of wastes associated with unconventional oil and gas extraction. These practices include, but are not limited to: seismic testing; drilling; well stimulation techniques including hydraulic fracturing, acidization, CO2 injection, steam injection, butane or propane injection, and other well stimulation techniques without independent, peer-reviewed studies proving their safety; pipeline, compressor station, LNG, and other infrastructure construction, operation, and maintenance; solid waste, wastewater, and “produced water” treatment and disposal.

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